Steve will preview the 2019 James Beard Foundation Awards Gala and what it means to Chicago to again host such a prestigious event.

“In 2014, Chicago chef/restaurateur Rick Bayless and I launched The Feed Podcast, covering the world of food from our professional perspectives. Every show is full of different segments, some from Chicago and others from far-flung places around the world we both travel to. In its first year, the show won a Beard Award for Best Podcast. More recently, I’ve begun curating and leading highly specialized culinary experiences, including international tours. In 2018, I wrote my first book, “Pizza City USA: 101 Reasons Why Chicago is America’s Greatest Pizza Town,” which led to the launch of Pizza City USA Tours and a companion podcast, “Pizza City,” where I talk to some of the greatest pizza makers in the world.”